A torsion dispenser for dispensing flowable material

ABSTRACT

A dispenser for controllably dispensing flowable material comprising a tubular pouch containing such material, a hollow cylinder in which the pouch is interiorly mounted, and a spout means associated with the pouch and extending outwardly from the cylinder. The cylinder rotatably carries a part or member such as an end cap which is, in turn, fixedly secured to the pouch. Hand rotation of the end cap twists the pouch and thereby urges the flowable material toward the spout means for dispensing.

United States Patent [72] inventors Glenn C. Wiggins;

John A. Radlord, both of Midland, Mich 121] Appl. No. 821,261 [22} Filed May 2,1969 [45] Patented July 20, 1971 [73] Assignee The Dow Chemical Company Midland, Mich.

[S4] TORSlON DISPENSER FOR DISPENSING FLOWABLE MATERIAL 5 Claims, 4 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. CL... 222/104 [51] int. Cl 865d 35/28 [50] Field of Search 222/104 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,562,937 8/1951 Moricich 222/104 null-v; kmllll i s m1 2,333,320 11/1943 Lautmann H 222/104 3,407,968 10/1968 Fiquet et al 222/104 1,197,210 9/1916 Jordan 222/104X Primary ExaminerStanley H. Tollberg At!0rneysGriswold and Burdick, Richard G. Waterman and Burke M. Halldorson ABSTRACT: A dispenser for controllably dispensing flowable material comprising a tubular pouch containing such material, a hollow cylinder in which the pouch is interiorly mounted, and a spout means associated with the pouch and extending outwardly from the cylinder. The cylinder rotatably carries a part or member such as an end cap which is, in turn, fixedly secured to the pouch. Hand rotation of the end cap twists the pouch and thereby urges the flowable material toward the spout means for dispensing.

TORSION DISPENSER FOR DISPENSING F LOWABLE MATERIAL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION A package frequently employed for use with various foodstuffs consists of a tubular envelope clipped or tied at each end such as by metal clips (i.e., a chub pak").

Chub paks find use particularly in the packaging of such materials as cookie dough and the like. The package is not fully satisfactory, however, for certain foodstuffs such as frosting, ketchup, mustard, or like products where it is necessary that the package controllably dispense the material.

It is an object of the present invention, therefore, to provide a new and improved dispenser adapted or devised in part from a flexible pouch, as for example, of the chub pak variety.

A further object of the present invention is to provide such a dispenser which in addition serves as a convenient storage vehicle for unused portions of the product after initial package opening.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide an improved dispenser for flowable foodstuffs such as frosting or like applicable items wherein a flexible pouch is combined with rigid container parts, and wherein such flowable contents are dispensed by twisting the pouch through hand rotation of a member associated with the rigid portion of the dispenser.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention then contemplates an improved dispenser for flowable materials. The material is contained within a flexible pouch which, in turn, is interiorly mounted within a hollow cylinder such as a spirally wound paper tube. A spout means is associated with one end of the pouch and protrudes outwardly through an end portion of the cylinder. Metal end caps can be employed to close the opposite ends of the cylinder, and with one of such caps having an aperture which receives the spout means. The other end cap is rotatably mounted and fixed to the pouch. Hand rotation of the rotatable cap twists the pouch such that the flowable material is urged toward the spout means where it is dispensed from the dispenser. Dual cylinders rotatably associated with each other can be employed as an alternate to the use of a rotatable end cap. The pouch-can be generally of the chub pak variety gathered and tied at one end such as by a metal clip.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The preferred embodiments of the present invention are shown in the accompanying drawings in which wheresoever possible, like characters of reference designate corresponding materials and parts throughout the several views thereof in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view with parts broken away of the improved dispensing package of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the package of FIG. 1 taken along reference line 2'2 thereof;

FIG. 3 is a view like FIG. 1 only showing a modified form of the present invention; and

FIG. 4 is a partial and enlarged view of yet another modified form of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now more particularly to the drawings, there is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a dispenser including a tubular pouch I2 formed of flexible film such as saran (i.e., a vinylidene chloride-vinyl chloride copolymer) and containing a flowable material 14. Pouch I2 is coaxiully mounted within a hollow cylinder or cylindrical member I6. The ends of cylindrical member 16 are closed such as by metal end caps 18 and 20, respectively. Cap 18 is fixedly secured to member 16 as, for example, by crimping or the like, while cap 20 includes a circular wall 22 slidably and rotatably associated or fitted with, member 16.

Referring again to pouch I2, the same is associated at its top end 24 with a spout means 26 which extends outwardly of cylindrical member 16 through an aperture 28 in end cap 18. More specifically, pouch 12 is gathered and secured about the lower circumference of spout means 26 such as by use of a metal clip 30. Spout means 26 is, in turn, fixedly attached to cap 18 by a pressure fit therewith assisted by a groove 32 formed in spout means 26 and which'receives edges 34 defining aperture 28. An oval spout means 26 and aperture 28 can be employed to prevent rotation of the spout means in the aperture.

Pouch I2 is closed at its bottom end 36 by a second clip 38, and fixedly attached to end cap 20 by the use of punchouts or arms 40 in the end cap which engage clip 38, as is best shown in FIG. 2. More specifically, clip 38 is provided with tails or legs 42 and 44, respectively, positively held at the region of punch outs 40 by crimping the punchouts tightly down upon the legs.

To use dispenser 10, the top part of spout means 26 can be snipped off, or the spout means 26 provided with a screw type closure 46 for convenient opening. Dispensing is obtained by rotating end cap 20 in the direction indicated by arrow 48 in FIG. 2, whereby pouch 12 is twisted beginning at a region adjacent its lower or bottom end 36. The lower diameter of the pouch is thereby restricted urging material 14 upwardly toward and out passageway 50 of spout means 26. The rate of dispensing can be controlled by the rate of rotation of cap 20.

To insure that the initial twist occurs in the lower region of pouch 14, the narrowest part of the pouch or its neck region, is located adjacent bottom end 36. In other words, the pouch diameter X at bottom end36 is made less than its diameter Y at its top end 24. Twisting will thus be caused to commence adjacent bottom end 36 of pouch 1.2. Pouch 12 can also be fabricated with an initial twist adjacent bottom end 36 (not shown) to insure appropriate twisting action.

FIG. 3 shows a variation of the invention wherein there is illustrated a modified cylinder and end cap structure as embodied in a dispenser 10a. Accordingly, package 10a includes a pouch 22a housed in a two-part hollow cylindrical structure 54. Structure 54 comprises cylindrical upper and lower or first and second parts 56 and 58, respectively. Lower part 58 defines a horizontally continuous ledge or shelf 60 on which part 56 rests andis rotatably supported. Lower part 58 further includes an inset wall section 62 which extends upwardly from the inner extent of ledge 60. Wall section 62 slidably engages the inner surface 64 of part 56 at regions upwardly of ledge 60 to stabilize or prevent lateral movement between the parts 56 and 58. Thus, parts 56 and 58 in efiiect rotatably carry each other.

Pouch is tied closed at its lower end by clip 38a, and at its other end or dispensing end 66, is gathered about a spout means 26a and secured thereto by clip 30a. Clips 300 and 38a are tightly fitted or screwed into threaded apertures 68 and 70, respectively, which are associated with the end caps 72 and 74 of parts 56 and 58, respectively. Caps 72 and 74 can comprise molded plastic structure.

Referring now to FIG. 4, a further modification directed at the dispensing end of a package 10b is shown wherein a spout means 26b is provided comprising inner and outer hollow conical shaped members 76 and 78, respectively. Pouch 12b is gathered about the outer circumference of inner member 76 and securely fixed thereto by a pressure fit between members 76 and 78, thereby providing the secured relationship between the pouch and spout means 26b.

While certain representative embodiments and details have been shown for the purpose of illustrating the invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

We claim:

I. A dispenser for dispensing flowable material comprising first and second container parts, a flexible pouch having opposed first and second end portions and containing said flowa blematerial, said flexible pouch interiorly mounted in the container parts, aspout means secured in a fixed relationship to said first container part and communicating with the interior of said pouch, said first end portion of the flexible pouch gathered and securely fixed about the circumference of said spout means with a first circular metal clip, said second end portion of the flexible pouch gathered and securely closed with a second circular metal clip, said second metal clip having extendedend members, said end members fixedly attached to the second container part with fasteners punched out of the base of said second container part and extending into the interior of said dispenser, means permitting rotatable motion between said first and second container parts about the axial direction of said pouch whereby said pouch is twisted to urge said flowable material towards said spout means for dispensing.

2. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein said first container part comprises a cylinder and an end cap securely fixed with said I cylinder, and said second container part comprises an opposed end cap rotatably mounted with said first container part. 1 3. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein said first and second container parts comprise first'and second cylinders with fixed end caps, said container parts rotatably carried by each other.

4. The dispenser of claim I wherein the narrowest region of said pouch is located adjacent to said second end portion.

5. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein said pouch includes an initial twist adjacent said second end portion. 

1. A dispenser for dispensing flowable material comprising first and second container parts, a flexible pouch having opposed first and second end portions and containing said flowable material, said flexible pouch interiorly mounted in the container parts, a spout means secured in a fixed relationship to said first container part and communicating with the interior of said pouch, said first end portion of the flexible pouch gathered and securely fixed about the circumference of said spout means with a first circular metal clip, said second end portion of the flexible pouch gathered and securely closed with a second circular metal clip, said second metal clip having extended end members, said end members fixedly attached to the second container part with fasteners punched out of the base of said second container part and extending into the interior of said dispenser, means permitting rotatable motion between said first and second container parts about the axial direction of said pouch whereby said pouch is twisted to urge said flowable material towards said spout means for dispensing.
 2. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein said first container part comprises a cylinder and an end cap securely fixed with said cylinder, and said second container part comprises an opposed end cap rotatably mounted with said first container part.
 3. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein said first and second container parts comprise first and second cylinders with fixed end caps, said container parts rotatably carried by each other.
 4. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein the narrowest region of said pouch is located adjacent to said second end portion.
 5. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein said pouch includes an initial twist adjacent said second end portion. 